PBA 071
6:52:13 PM Canto: So then. Let's get started. 6:54:39 PM Canto: It's a few days after you guys bought and freed some Neogi slaves at the Voidspace Bazaar. They're all currenly on board and adapting as well as possible, along with the five new pod-people. You guys are all doing your various things when Nation's voice Sends through the ship. 6:55:52 PM Canto: Nation: I'm all fueled up and ready to jump. Mental shielding is up so you shouldn't have any more psionic feedback from being temporarily exposed to infinity anymore. 6:56:24 PM Wynn: Thank you, Nation. 6:56:34 PM Quintilian: Very, very much. 6:57:02 PM Canto: Nation: and thanks to the ongoing repairs to the bridge, I can tell that the next jump should take us to a Prime Material plane. That's all I can tell, but, hey, progress. 6:57:24 PM Janis: Whoo! ...what's that mean? 6:57:53 PM Canto: Nation: Normal plane. Not, you know, made of fire, or an awful hell-dimension, or that sort of thing. 6:57:56 PM Quintilian: It means we really should find you an atlas of the planes. 6:58:35 PM Janis: Cool. Not fire is good. 6:58:35 PM Wynn: Awful hell dimensions might be a good workout, but we should probably avoid them anyway. 6:59:01 PM Quintilian: We'd likely be overrun. 7:00:22 PM Wynn: Which is why we should avoid it. I wouldn't risk the rest of your lives for that. 7:00:41 PM Janis: ...you'd risk your own life...for a workout? 7:01:23 PM Wynn: No. That was... understatement. For the chance to kill a dozen of them? Perhaps. 7:01:55 PM Quintilian: Better to come back when we're all stronger, or with reinforcements. 7:03:04 PM Wynn: Probably better to focus efforts elsewhere and take them as they come anyway. 7:03:40 PM Quintilian: Quite. 7:03:58 PM Canto: Nation: All right. Jumping... now. 7:04:03 PM Canto: Roll reflex saves, everyone. 7:04:19 PM Janis: ((28)) 7:04:20 PM Wynn: ((22)) 7:05:04 PM Quintilian: ((21.)) 7:05:44 PM Canto: Nilani? 7:09:00 PM Canto: Okay, well, for the most part you guys are okay, except for Nilani, who is thrown about a bit as you breach the dimensional barrier. 7:09:59 PM Wynn: I don't recall the trip being so jarring before. Except when you flipped upside down. 7:11:17 PM Quintilian: Preferable to the psychic disturbances. 7:11:19 PM Canto: Nation: Still working on the shielding systems. Right now you can either have a smooth trip, or mental torment. 7:11:34 PM Janis: ...I'm fine. 7:11:38 PM Wynn: I think this'll be fine. 7:13:40 PM Canto: Nation: Anyway, portal 2 seems to have locked on to a village settlement. I am currently myself floating over some mountains. 7:14:00 PM Quintilian: .... is it pleasant? 7:14:03 PM Janis: ...is that smart? 7:14:04 PM Wynn: Time to go get dressed. I'll meet whoever's going out at the portal. 7:14:16 PM Janis: I mean, being a ship just floating in the sky? 7:15:03 PM Canto: Nation: I haven't noticed anything larger than a bird in the sky with me, so. If I need to, I'll find a place to land. 7:15:20 PM Janis: Ok. 7:15:51 PM Wynn: Wynn leaves to put on her fancy armor and will meet up at the portal 7:16:04 PM Quintilian: Quintilian follows Wynn to help her assemble the pieces of the armor. 7:16:08 PM Janis: Janis goes to grab Mask and meets at the portal 7:18:51 PM Canto: So, you guys assemble at the portal! 7:19:04 PM Janis: (y) 7:20:06 PM Wynn: Ready? 7:20:23 PM Janis: Yep. 7:20:32 PM Quintilian: Ready enough. 7:20:35 PM Wynn: Wynn opens the portal/steps through! 7:20:45 PM Janis: Janis follows 7:21:45 PM Nilani: Nilani also passes through 7:22:16 PM Quintilian: Quintilian goes last. 7:22:53 PM Canto: You guys step through, and find yourselves in a pleasant little village. The portal set itself in the side of a building adjacent to a town-square sort of area, with a small fountain at the center, and cobblestone beneath your feet. Fairly idyllic, except for the absence of people. 7:23:14 PM Quintilian: ... where is everyone. 7:23:32 PM Janis: Janis sends Mask up to see if he can find anyone 7:23:47 PM Canto: Notice checks! 7:23:53 PM Janis: ((Mask too?)) 7:24:04 PM Wynn: (21 nat 20 wasted.) 7:24:13 PM Janis: ((16)) 7:24:14 PM Canto: You can roll for Mask, sure. 7:24:37 PM Quintilian: ((11)) 7:24:40 PM Janis: ((31 for Mask)) 7:24:45 PM Nilani: ((23)) 7:26:16 PM Canto: Also, the sun is settling at this point. It's still light out, but not for much longer, probably. The town isn't uninhabited, though. Wynn and Nilani notice first, and point out the eyes watching you all fearfully behind closed doors and shuttered windows. 7:26:49 PM Quintilian: ... maybe we should leave. 7:26:51 PM Janis: ((So does Mask, but he's too polite to say anything :P )) 7:27:40 PM Wynn: We should find out if this plane is an acceptable place to let any of our new passengers off, if they so choose. 7:27:41 PM Janis: ...they're just scared. If we show we're not dangerous, they'll probably be fine. 7:29:33 PM Wynn: That said, Quintilian, you are probably best suited to doing so. 7:30:21 PM Quintilian: They're frightened of us. I'm not sure why--can you tell what species they are? Maybe they're not used to humanoids. 7:31:07 PM Wynn: Well, we are dressed for battle, marching out of a wall and into their town. But I didn't see them scurry away when we entered. Perhaps they were already in hiding. 7:31:35 PM Janis: ...Mask is worried. 7:31:39 PM Quintilian: Excellent, and concerning, point. 7:31:40 PM Canto: You all hear Janis' bird cacaw! 7:31:41 PM Janis: Something bad's coming. 7:31:55 PM Wynn: Wynn pulls her shield to ready and draws her mace. 7:31:57 PM Quintilian: ... naturally. 7:32:09 PM Quintilian: Quintilian disappears. 7:32:35 PM Janis: Janis calls Mask back 7:32:51 PM Canto: Roll notice! 7:33:01 PM Quintilian: ((15.)) 7:33:06 PM Janis: ((32)) 7:33:16 PM Nilani: ((27)) 7:33:24 PM Wynn: (7. lol) 7:36:39 PM Canto: Okay, well, most of you hear this strange clicking/rattling noise coming from the edge of town as skeletons appear! 2 seem to be humanoid, wielding old battleworn swords. 3 are wolves. One stands slightly behind them, you thought it a skeleton at first, but this one seems to have skin stretched taut over its bones. 7:37:21 PM Janis: ...ok...this is probably bad. 7:37:32 PM Wynn: Wynn smiles. 7:37:48 PM Canto: Roll initiative! 7:38:03 PM Janis: (devil) 7:38:06 PM Wynn: (18!) 7:38:37 PM Quintilian: ((16 )) 7:39:23 PM Nilani: ((14)) 7:39:53 PM Canto: I rolled really good for initiative you guys. 7:40:26 PM Canto: round 1: Wolf skeletons, Human skeletons, Wynn, Quint, Leader skeleton?, Nilani, Janis 7:41:33 PM Canto: The wolf skeletons lope forward at you, two on Wynn, one at Janis. 7:42:04 PM Canto: What's your AC, Wynn? 7:42:16 PM Wynn: 21 7:43:49 PM Canto: Okay. Two wolf skeletons lope at Wynn, rushing her with snapping jaws. One clamps down on her arm, doing 6 points of damage, but her armor deflects the other wolf skeleton's teeth. The third wolf skeleton lunges at Janis but totally misses. 7:45:08 PM Canto: The humanoid skeletons also attack, drawing out weathered old shortbows and taking a shot at Wynn and Nilani, but missing. 7:45:13 PM Canto: *Wynn* 7:46:05 PM Wynn: Wynn smashes a wolf... three times! (full attack) 7:46:19 PM Canto: Okay, roll to hit. 7:47:07 PM Wynn: (mace 18, 4, shield 25) 7:47:16 PM Canto: Okay, roll damage on the first mace hit. 7:47:33 PM Wynn: 6 7:47:46 PM Canto: Okay, and now roll damage for the shield bash. 7:48:01 PM Wynn: 4 7:48:59 PM Canto: Okay, Wynn smacks the wolf skeleton down with the rolled up newspaper of justice. It's still animate, but looks ready to fall apart. 7:49:01 PM Canto: *Quint* 7:50:00 PM Quintilian: Quintilian stabs a wolf skeleton in the back. ((16.)) 7:50:50 PM Canto: Which one? Two attacking Wynn, one attacking Janis right now. 7:51:01 PM Quintilian: ((The one on Janis.)) 7:51:32 PM Canto: That's a hit, in any case. 7:51:35 PM Quintilian: ((17 damage, of which 1 is rapier, 4 is lightning, and the rest eldritch blast.)) 7:52:10 PM Quintilian: Quintilian also appears visibly behind the skeleton. 7:53:06 PM Canto: Nice! Quint suddenly reappears behind the wolf lunging at Janis, and stabs the thing with his rapier. Rapier is not generally the ideal weapon for dealing with the undead, and especially skeletons, but still, the skeleton explodes in a blast of energy. 7:54:32 PM Canto: The creature standing behind the other two humanoid creatures disappears itself. 7:54:37 PM Canto: *Nilani* 7:56:06 PM Nilani: Nilani casts See Invisibility as she sees the thing vanish. 7:57:01 PM Canto: Nice! You can see it again, and it is slyly working it's way around the combat. 7:59:11 PM Nilani: Nilani keeps an eye on it, getting ready to strike. 7:59:56 PM Canto: It's not terribly close, staying about 20 feet away. Are you gonna attack it this round, or do you want to hold your action? 8:00:11 PM Canto: Oh, right, right. 8:00:14 PM Canto: *Janis* 8:00:27 PM Janis: ((...hm...)) 8:00:45 PM Janis: Janis attempts a rapid shot, one arrow for each of the three humanoid skeletons. 8:00:55 PM Canto: There's only 2. 8:01:10 PM Canto: The third one is invisible and only Nilani can see it. 8:01:30 PM Janis: ((Ok then...the two 9s go to the archers, the last one goes to the remaining, unattacked wolf)) 8:01:46 PM Janis: ((26/19/7)) 8:01:57 PM Canto: First two hit. 8:02:29 PM Janis: ((Oh, sorry. Forgot to take off for Rapid Shot. Do they all still hit with a -2?)) 8:02:44 PM Canto: Yeah, AC is 15. 8:03:39 PM Janis: ((9 and 11)) 8:03:58 PM Janis: ((1 frost dam to the first, and 3 points of frost to the second)) 8:04:18 PM Janis: As they hit, Janis smiles broadly "I DID IT! I HIT THEM!" 8:06:34 PM Canto: Normally, again, piercing weapons don't do a whole lot to skeletons, but still, Janis manages to peg both humanoid skeletons in the head. They dont' seem terribly affected by the cold damage, sadly. 8:06:57 PM Canto: Round 2: Wolves, humanoids, Wynn, Quint, Wight, Nilani, Janis 8:07:21 PM Canto: The two remaining wolves snap fruitlessly at Wynn. 8:07:35 PM Canto: Nilani, what's your AC? 8:08:32 PM Nilani: ((17)) 8:08:59 PM Canto: The two humanoid skeletons fire two more arrows, one at WYnn, one at Nilani, and both miss. 8:09:02 PM Canto: *Wynn* 8:09:35 PM Wynn: Wynn swings first at her original target- 26 8:09:41 PM Canto: That's a hit. 8:09:55 PM Wynn: (10 dam) 8:10:28 PM Canto: Your first attack smashes the first wolf skeleton to pieces! There's still one left, trying to bite you. 8:11:06 PM Wynn: Wynn backswings the other with the mace again- 25, 11 dam) 8:11:40 PM Canto: Okay, again, you *almost* shatter it, but not enough to put it down and smash it. 8:11:47 PM Canto: You have one more shield bash, I believe? 8:12:19 PM Wynn: Wynn does! Shield bash to the face! misses 12 8:12:47 PM Canto: Yeah, the wolf thing ducks down after your initial blow. 8:12:50 PM Canto: *Quint* 8:12:58 PM Quintilian: Quintilian fires an eldritch bolt at one of the humanoid skeletons. (20 ranged touch, 21 if it's within 30 feet.) 8:13:05 PM Canto: Hit! 8:13:12 PM Quintilian: ((11 damage, 12 if it's within 30 feet.)) 8:13:25 PM Canto: You pretty much vaporize it. 8:13:32 PM Quintilian: Quintilian also moves closer to the humanoid skeletons, if they're not within 15 feet. 8:13:46 PM Canto: They were standing back, yeah. 8:14:40 PM Canto: Nilani, the Wight comes out of invisibility to try and smash at you with its claws, but it misses. 8:14:47 PM Canto: *Nilani* 8:16:38 PM Nilani: Nilani 5-foot-steps back and attempts to cast Magic Missile! 8:17:33 PM Canto: Niiiiice. Roll a d10 for spell failure. 8:18:05 PM Canto: You step back and shoot magic in his face! It doesn't seem to like that. 8:18:08 PM Canto: *Janis* 8:18:34 PM Janis: Janis first sends hawk down to claw at the more hurt skeleton archer's face 8:18:44 PM Canto: One wolf on Wynn, one humanoid skeleton, and the Wight who is engaged with Nilani. 8:18:48 PM Janis: ((17)) 8:18:53 PM Canto: That's a hit. 8:19:10 PM Janis: ((1 point of damage...thanks a lot mask)) 8:19:22 PM Canto: Yeah, the skeleton doesn't notice that. 8:19:35 PM Janis: Janis fire an arrow at it's face. 8:19:46 PM Janis: ((25)) 8:20:00 PM Janis: ((10 dam that time)) 8:20:42 PM Canto: Okay. You shoot an arrow at the skull, piercing the thing's other eyesocket! The force of the arrow is enough to knock its skull off, causing the skeleton to clatter into a heap. 8:21:02 PM Janis: Janis fires one last arrow at the wolf 8:21:13 PM Canto: Okay! 8:21:30 PM Janis: ((14)) 8:21:48 PM Canto: That is a miss. Do you have Point Blank Shot? 8:22:13 PM Janis: (y) 8:22:26 PM Canto: Was that with that factored in? 8:22:30 PM Janis: ((Also, Precise shot)) 8:22:37 PM Janis: ((I think so)) 8:22:46 PM Canto: Okay. 8:23:07 PM Janis: ((It was my second attack, so it was five points weaker)) 8:23:09 PM Canto: Round 3: Wolf, Wynn, Quint, Wight, Nilani, Janis 8:23:36 PM Canto: The wolf snaps at Wynn again, but misses. 8:23:38 PM Canto: *Wynn* 8:24:01 PM Wynn: (Is the wight close enough to get to him in one move action?) 8:24:32 PM Canto: Yep. Not a five foot move, but you can easily get to him. 8:24:43 PM Wynn: (is the wolf in the way of a charge?) 8:25:12 PM Canto: You'll get an AoO from the wolf, but that's probably nothing to worry about. 8:25:16 PM Canto: Yeah, kinda. 8:26:14 PM Wynn: Wynn will move to the wight and smite the wight then. 8:26:38 PM Canto: The wolf snaps at you as you pass it, but doesn't connect. SMITE THE WIGHT. 8:27:00 PM Wynn: (17 lol) 8:27:13 PM Canto: That's a hit. 8:27:30 PM Wynn: (18 dam) 8:28:13 PM Canto: You smash him down, and he stays down. You brain him so good that if he had bodily fluids, they'd be all over you. 8:28:19 PM Canto: *Quint* 8:28:28 PM Canto: One wolf skeleton left. 8:28:53 PM | Edited 8:29:15 PM Quintilian: Quintilian excuse me, stabs at it. 8:29:24 PM Quintilian: ((16.)) 8:29:35 PM Canto: That's a hit. 8:30:30 PM Quintilian: ((12 eldritch. 3 rapier. 6 lightning. So uh, 21 total.)) 8:30:48 PM Canto: ANd that is more than 2, so it explodes in a blast of eldritch lightning! 8:31:00 PM Canto: *end initiative* 8:31:27 PM Wynn: Wynn shakes her mace off a bit. 8:31:32 PM Wynn: Well. That was fun. 8:31:33 PM Quintilian: Quintilian shakes the skeledust off his sword and puts it away. "Everyone all right?" 8:31:58 PM Janis: I HIT THE THING! 8:32:18 PM Wynn: Wynn holsters her mace and shield and claps Janis on the shoulder. "Well done." 8:32:23 PM Janis: ...thanks. 8:33:25 PM Quintilian: As usual. 8:34:08 PM Quintilian: I think you're getting better. 8:34:20 PM Wynn: Nobody needs healing? 8:34:21 PM Janis: Janis smiles 8:34:25 PM Janis: Nothing touched me. 8:35:28 PM Quintilian: Same here. 8:36:24 PM Canto: People begin to emerge from the buildings, cautiously! They seem mostly human, though you spot a pointed ear here and there. 8:36:48 PM Quintilian: Quintilian tries to look harmless, and waves them over. 8:40:11 PM Canto: They come over, a stout, middle-aged halfling seeming to take the lead as he comes out of the crowd. "... who are you?" 8:40:24 PM Quintilian: Visitors. 8:40:30 PM Janis: Heroes. 8:40:33 PM Quintilian: I'm Quintilian, this is Wynn, Janis, Nilani. 8:41:24 PM Janis: Janis waves "Janis Khorster, World's Greatest Bounty Hunter." 8:41:41 PM Wynn: Wynn smirks. 8:42:20 PM Quintilian: We're from out of town. 8:43:29 PM Canto: Halfling: ... clearly. We're just farmers and the like. Did you come to kill the necromancer? 8:43:43 PM Janis: Sure. 8:43:43 PM Wynn: Now we are. 8:43:49 PM Janis: ...what necromancer? 8:44:50 PM Quintilian: If it's an all-powerful lich we're not likely to be of much assistance. 8:46:26 PM Canto: His eyes blink from face to face. "No, no, this fella was human. Came into town about a month ago, said he was from Cassida. A researcher, he said, checking out some of the local ruins. He came through, asked some questions, got some directions, and moved on. Then a couple days later... 8:48:14 PM Canto: He indicates the wight corpse. "These monsters started showing up. Comin' from the same direction as he left in. They've killed our guards. Sometimes they take prisoners. Sometimes they just kill folk and take them. 8:48:45 PM Canto: He shrugs. "We send messages out, but no one has come -- we figured he was killing the messengers." 8:49:11 PM Quintilian: He might have awakened something, or be doing it himself. 8:49:14 PM Wynn: We'll do what we can. Do you have any other information that might be useful? 8:51:46 PM Canto: The halfling thinks. "I can point you toward the ruins he wanted directions to. He didn't really reveal much about himself. Said his name was Cask. Said he was a researcher from the University in Cassida. We've had lots of researchers around here, being so close to the Old Empire as we are." 8:52:20 PM | Edited 8:52:24 PM Janis: ...right, the old empire...which old empire? 8:52:25 PM Canto: He shakes his head. "We didn't think anything of it, now this has happened." 8:52:28 PM Quintilian: We're from pretty far out. 8:53:49 PM Canto: The halfling blinks. "Old Empire... you know. The Empire. IT's in all the books. Even if you're from as far out as Berenor or Falsad, you'd have heard of it." 8:54:08 PM Janis: ...we're from...farther out. 8:54:23 PM Canto: He gestures in a way reminsicent of trying to describe the color yellow to someone who only sees in black and white. 8:55:18 PM Canto: Roll bluff, Janis! 8:55:38 PM Janis: ((unnat 20)) 8:57:48 PM Canto: His eyes get a bit suspicious as he looks at you all, but it seems the need for heroes wins out. "Well, long time ago, the Old Empire stetched over the world, until they didn't. No one knows why, but most seem to think they were overthrown by their subjects. There was this big war, and at the end, very little remained." 8:58:46 PM Canto: Halfling: Now when people say "Old Empire', they mean a place where a bunch of their ruins remain. 8:59:14 PM Wynn: Ruins. Undead. Sounds like a good time. 9:00:20 PM Canto: Halfling: The ruins this Cask headed to are to the west. Follow the road out of town until it meets an even older road, and follow that. 9:01:34 PM Wynn: Wynn nods. "Nilani, would you mind contacting Nation to let him know what we're doing and ask if any of our other crew members would come down to keep an eye on the town in case there are more?" 9:01:57 PM Quintilian: Excellent idea. 9:02:05 PM Quintilian: ... preferably those more... diplomatic. 9:02:14 PM Wynn: Grayson would be an excellent choice 9:04:00 PM Nilani: Nilani does so! 9:04:36 PM Canto: Okey dokey! The halfling watches all this with interest. 9:06:27 PM Canto: Grayson, Iskandar, Arin and Allys show up before long to watch over the village. 9:06:58 PM Wynn: Shall we then? 9:07:25 PM Quintilian: Quintilian nods. 9:07:47 PM Wynn: Wynn sets off with a faux-salute towards the new party. 9:08:23 PM Janis: Janis follows 9:08:30 PM Canto: Okay, so you ride out. I'm assuming you're riding. 9:11:11 PM Wynn: Wynn rides in front on Axiom then! 9:13:04 PM Janis: Janis rides behind her on a dragon horse 9:14:14 PM Canto: It is getting dark at this point. 9:14:14 PM Quintilian: Quintilian probably walks. 9:14:44 PM Wynn: ...Quintilian, you aren't riding? 9:14:56 PM Quintilian: ... I suppose it's faster. 9:15:01 PM Quintilian: Quintilian goes with the dragonhorse. 9:15:28 PM Wynn: ...should we wait til sunrise? 9:17:52 PM Quintilian: He could be a vampire, so I'd say we probably should. 9:18:15 PM Janis: ...um...should we get rooms? 9:18:24 PM Wynn: We have rooms. On Nation. 9:18:44 PM Quintilian: Better to stay here. They might feel better if we do. 9:18:48 PM Janis: ...yeah...but isn't it kind of...like...part of the hero thing? 9:19:08 PM Janis: You drink and eat with the people, there's merriment and then you go off to fight for them. 9:19:12 PM Canto: There is an inn and they are quite happy to let you stay for free. 9:20:26 PM Wynn: Very well. But we should pay for our rooms and board. 9:20:35 PM Quintilian: Agreed. 9:20:43 PM Janis: Ok. 9:21:04 PM Wynn: Putting gold into their economy can help in other ways. 9:21:54 PM Quintilian: And not make us feel like freeloaders. 9:23:01 PM Canto: Okay! You stay the night. There is not a lot of merriment, there's too much fear and uncertainty. 9:23:09 PM Canto: It's actually a bit awkward. 9:24:11 PM Quintilian: Quintilian disappears for a bit and returns as Val, and then spends time ... a lot of time... talking to people to reassure them and try to get them to relax a bit. 9:24:43 PM Canto: Roll diplomacy! 9:25:49 PM Valerian: ((41.)) 9:26:06 PM Valerian: ((Had to get out the calculator. Sorry.)) 9:27:14 PM Canto: You're pretty successful! You manage to convince them that you guys do indeed know what you're doing! And the necromancer is as good as vanquished. 9:29:18 PM Canto: The sun rises the next morning! 9:29:26 PM Valerian: Valerian is careful not to make promises, though. 9:29:55 PM Wynn: Wynn rouses everyone at dawn, eager to get on the road! 9:30:14 PM Janis: Janis doesn't need to be told twice. 9:30:16 PM Janis: Let's go. 9:31:06 PM Canto: You ride out! 9:32:28 PM Valerian: Valerian bids them farewell and hands out as much money as he can without making it look like charity. 9:33:11 PM Canto: Once they realize that you're willing to spend money, they're happy to sell you things, baubles, odds and ends. 9:33:35 PM Valerian: Valerian buys all kinds of things and gives all the kids candy. He's like that. 9:37:36 PM Canto: So you're on the road for a couple of hours. Roll a notice check for me. 9:37:55 PM Janis: ((22)) 9:38:00 PM Valerian: ((19.)) 9:38:12 PM Valerian: ((yes, I rolled a 20 on that. There were all my good rolls for the night, guys.)) 9:38:25 PM Wynn: (19) 9:38:35 PM Nilani: ((12)) 9:44:57 PM Canto: Okay, back, sorry. 9:46:18 PM Canto: You guys travel this road, and notice, sitting in a tree, up on a branch, a skeletal bird watching you with baleful red eyes. Once you spot it, it moves to take flight! 9:46:25 PM Wynn: Janis! 9:46:32 PM Janis: ON IT! 9:46:38 PM Janis: Janis rapid shoots it! 9:46:51 PM Valerian: Valerian tries also, but only if she misses. 9:47:10 PM Janis: ((16, 15, 14)) 9:47:24 PM Janis: ((Also, Mask moves to intercept)) 9:47:33 PM Canto: The first one hits, the other two miss. 9:47:50 PM Janis: ((9 DAM)) 9:48:26 PM Canto: And roll for Mask to hit. 9:48:41 PM Janis: ((24)) 9:48:50 PM Janis: ((2 Dam)) 9:49:46 PM Canto: Okay. Janis lets loose a small spray of arrows, which knock the skeletal bird around a bit before Mask the hawk flies in, grabs the raven with his claws, and smashes him against a tree trunk! 9:50:35 PM Valerian: I like that bird, I think. 9:51:00 PM Janis: He can be pretty awesome. 9:51:22 PM Janis: Janis holds out her arm and Mask perches there, assuming the thing is dead 9:51:25 PM Wynn: Good job. Let's keep going. Eyes open for more. 9:51:54 PM Canto: Yep! Mask has a single small bird bone in his beak. TROPHY. 9:54:00 PM Canto: So you guys move on down the road, eyes peeled for more sentries. 9:56:18 PM Canto: Before long, the cobblestone road intersects with another road, made of much older stone, half buried with long caked dirt and dust. 9:58:10 PM Valerian: The Empire's, I'm sure. 9:58:26 PM Canto: Roll notice again! 9:58:28 PM Wynn: Wynn turns onto the old road. 9:58:36 PM Wynn: (10) 9:58:40 PM Janis: ((16)) 9:58:49 PM Nilani: ((11)) 9:59:02 PM Valerian: ((2!)) 9:59:41 PM Canto: JAnis, you spot another sentry, but I'm not gonna make you roll to take it down, you manage to get it down pretty easily thanks to Mask. 10:00:29 PM Janis: Janis smiles. She is having a very good day. 10:01:26 PM Canto: Mask takes another small bone and drops it in your hand. He expects a necklace. 10:03:07 PM Valerian: ... are you going to start a collection? 10:03:29 PM Janis: At this rate, sure. Mask seems to like 'em. 10:03:31 PM Canto: Mask: SCREEEECH. 10:03:43 PM Janis: Janis pets the bird 10:04:52 PM Canto: You follow the old road to the southwest. Around you, the semi-forested plainslands give way to old, half collapsed walls and buildings. 10:06:45 PM Wynn: Wynn slows just a bit to make sure we don't barrel straight into an ambush or something. 10:07:14 PM Janis: ...I'm guessing these are the ruins. 10:07:56 PM Wynn: Now we just have to find the right one. 10:08:17 PM Valerian: Valerian looks for magic auras! 10:08:24 PM Canto: The whole area is covered with these ruins -- it was almost certainly once a city. But all of them are collapsed and destroyed. 10:10:22 PM Valerian: Valerian keeps looking for magical auras that aren't coming from the party. 10:10:44 PM Wynn: Wynn is occasionally doing a DE check as well. 10:10:50 PM Canto: Go ahead and make a Search Roll, all of you. 10:11:12 PM Janis: ((19)) 10:11:43 PM Wynn: (16) 10:12:42 PM Nilani: ((22)) 10:16:09 PM Canto: It's tricky, because the whole place faintly *weems* with old magic, but between Detect Magic and Detect Evil, you're able to find a point of interest near a half-buried wall. 10:16:16 PM Valerian: ((I rolle... oh wait, 1s don't. Sorry. 13.)) 10:16:46 PM Wynn: Wynn dismounts several feet away. 10:17:04 PM Canto: There's evil and recent magic coming from a spot on the ground. 10:17:14 PM Wynn: You keep an eye on the others, Axiom. 10:17:25 PM Janis: ...um, say what now? 10:17:33 PM Wynn: Your mounts. 10:17:41 PM Janis: ...oh...that's different. 10:17:48 PM Janis: Janis gets off her dragon horse. 10:17:54 PM Janis: Ok, let's go. 10:18:20 PM Wynn: Wynn draws her shield and points to the spot. "There." 10:18:33 PM Valerian: ...should we dig? I don't see a cave. 10:18:52 PM Wynn: Probably a trigger or something. 10:19:03 PM Wynn: Wynn pokes at the spot. 10:19:15 PM Canto: Make a Will Save, Wynn. 10:19:45 PM Wynn: (17) 10:22:03 PM Wynn: Come on. 10:22:09 PM Janis: ...ok. 10:22:11 PM Wynn: Wynn starts down! 10:22:17 PM Janis: Janis follows 10:22:27 PM Canto: Wynn vanishes into the ground. 10:22:31 PM Canto: She might be a witch. 10:22:41 PM Janis: Janis is confused, but still follows 10:23:10 PM Valerian: Valerian does too. 10:23:21 PM Valerian: Valerian is pretty sure his girlfriend is not a witch. 10:23:45 PM Canto: The illusion shimmers as you pass through it, and it's pretty weird! But it is not solid. 10:24:06 PM Canto: You find yourselves in an unlit underground tunnel. 10:24:44 PM Wynn: Light? 10:24:45 PM Valerian: I can't see a thing. 10:25:01 PM Valerian: Nilani, do you happen to have a light spell prepped? 10:27:28 PM Nilani: Yep. 10:27:41 PM Valerian: Excellent. 10:28:01 PM Wynn: Here. 10:28:06 PM | Edited 10:28:17 PM Wynn: Wynn holds her shield out for her. 10:29:04 PM Nilani: Nilani casts Light on it. 10:29:23 PM Valerian: Valerian looks around now that he can! 10:30:28 PM Canto: You are in an old underground stone passageway. The floor is dust and crumbled stone that feel from the ceiling as roots push their way through the ground up above. 10:31:25 PM Wynn: Wynn moves forward slowly. 10:31:34 PM Janis: Janis follows 10:32:09 PM Valerian: Valerian goes last, in case the monsters come from behind! 10:32:45 PM Valerian: Valerian isn't sure if they're here to fight a necromancer or rescue some idiot who tripped a switch that makes undead. 10:33:39 PM Janis: ((Maybe both)) 10:33:43 PM Canto: You follow the tunnel down and it levels out eventually, and you come to an intersection where the you can go left, forward, or right. 10:34:17 PM Janis: ...anyone wanna do eenie meenie miney moe? 10:34:22 PM Wynn: We'll go right. 10:34:27 PM Wynn: Wynn turns right! 10:35:06 PM Janis: Janis follows 10:36:15 PM Canto: You go right. You follow the passageway which leads to a large, echoey chamber that is very clearly a large crypt. 10:36:23 PM Valerian: Valerian brings up the rear, which sounds naughty for some reason. It's not. 10:38:54 PM Wynn: Watch for movement. 10:39:04 PM Wynn: Wynn continues. 10:40:29 PM Valerian: Valerian tries to, but he's not the most observant person. 10:40:29 PM Canto: There is no movement! Which is weird. On closer inspection, all the caskets are empty. 10:40:43 PM Valerian: ... probably they're the ones being sent to town. 10:40:48 PM Valerian: Let's keep looking. 10:40:54 PM Wynn: Or we have an army ahead. 10:40:58 PM Wynn: Wynn continues! 10:43:08 PM Valerian: I hope not. 10:43:28 PM Canto: You go through several of these connected crypts if you continue that way. There are three large crypts. Each one has a door that leads to the next crypt. 10:43:31 PM Janis: So...did they bury the birds and wolves here too? 10:44:06 PM Wynn: He could have just raised animals who died in the woods. Or killed them himself. 10:44:16 PM Wynn: They don't have to be buried to be used. 10:44:23 PM Janis: Yeah, but they were skeletons. 10:44:37 PM Janis: So, that's really dead. 10:45:00 PM Valerian: They could have been pets buried with their masters. 10:45:05 PM Valerian: A lot of cultures do that. 10:45:08 PM Wynn: Wynn shakes her head. "From what I understand the state of the body doesn't necessarily determine the state of the undead. Fresh corpses can be reanimated skeletons. 10:45:21 PM Valerian: Or protectors buried with their protectees. 10:47:28 PM Canto: You pass through the crypts, then, and find yourselves in another hallway. 10:48:20 PM Valerian: Valerian frets a bit. 10:48:46 PM Wynn: Wynn continues! 10:49:27 PM Canto: You find yourselves in front of a large elaborate metal door! 10:49:40 PM Wynn: Wynn draws her mace. "Ready?" 10:49:49 PM Janis: Janis draws her bow 10:49:51 PM Janis: Ready. 10:49:56 PM Valerian: Valerian nods. 10:50:21 PM Wynn: Can one of you check the door and open it? 10:50:35 PM Wynn: But let me through first. 10:50:55 PM Valerian: Valerian checks. 10:51:12 PM Valerian: ((24.)) 10:53:34 PM Valerian: ... already unlocked, and the trap is sprung. 10:53:42 PM Wynn: ....interesting. 10:54:56 PM Wynn: Open it up, please. My hands are full. 10:55:00 PM Wynn: Wynn grins. 10:55:09 PM Valerian: Valerian pushes the door open! 10:56:04 PM Canto: You find... well. AFter the lead up, it's disappointing. You find a rather small chamber with a small dais on the floor at the center. There are various wards and the like around the dais drawn on the floor. 10:56:39 PM Valerian: Valerian looks at it for magic. 10:58:24 PM Valerian: ... something escaped. 10:58:53 PM Wynn: Escaped? 10:58:55 PM Valerian: Look, you can see the broken wards. The circle here... salt, I think? 10:59:15 PM Valerian: It was a magic circle against evil. 10:59:22 PM Valerian: So whatever it was? It wasn't nice. 11:00:57 PM Wynn: Any way to find it? 11:01:23 PM Canto: Well, there's only one way out of the room. 11:01:45 PM Valerian: Not that I'm aware of, but I do expect to be attacked at any time. 11:02:41 PM Valerian: ((The way we came in?)) 11:02:54 PM Canto: Roll notice, everyone. 11:03:01 PM Canto: ((Yes.)) 11:03:11 PM Janis: ((15)) 11:03:13 PM Nilani: ((19)) 11:03:21 PM Valerian: ((3.)) 11:03:24 PM Valerian: Maybe it's still here somewhere. 11:03:26 PM Valerian: Valerian looks up. 11:03:31 PM Wynn: (19) 11:04:24 PM Canto: While Val is looking up at the ceiling the rest of you hear some faint rattling back in the crypts you came through. 11:05:06 PM Janis: ...or maybe it's in one of those crypts with the rattling chains 11:05:16 PM Valerian: Hm? 11:05:18 PM Wynn: Wynn heads back to the door. 11:05:51 PM Canto: There's nothing within the nimbus of your light spell that you can see, but the sound is getting louder. 11:06:17 PM Valerian: ... I hear it too... 11:06:31 PM Wynn: Wynn goes out to meet it! 11:06:51 PM Canto: Okay! Wynn just walks out. With the light source! 11:07:05 PM Valerian: Valerian follows her. 11:07:05 PM Janis: Janis follows, obviously 11:07:18 PM Canto: Though I believe most of the rest of you have low-light vision. 11:07:28 PM Nilani: Nilani also follows, looking around warily. 11:07:48 PM Canto: Wynn goes to the source of the noise. 11:09:40 PM Canto: The rattling comes from small shards of bone here and there on the crypt floor all being drawn magnet like, very quickly, forming a pillar made of boneshards. As Wynn gets closer, the the shards near the top of the pillar form into the vissage of a skull. Midway down the column, an arm of bone comes out, tipped by a large scythe-like blade made of, you guessed it, bone. 11:09:53 PM Canto: Roll initiative! 11:09:55 PM Valerian: Oh dear. 11:10:09 PM Wynn: (6.) 11:10:23 PM Valerian: ((18)) 11:10:24 PM Nilani: ((10)) 11:10:29 PM Janis: ((21)) 11:11:01 PM Canto: Round 1: Janis, Val, Nilani, Wynn, bone thing (heh heh) 11:11:06 PM Canto: *Janis* 11:12:25 PM Janis: Janis rapid shots the thing in it's big ugly face, and Mask claws at it afterwards 11:13:26 PM | Edited 11:13:41 PM Janis: ((Ok, that's 23, 29, 24, and 23 with two crits that don't confirm)) 11:13:43 PM Canto: Those all hit. 11:14:27 PM Janis: ((22 total points of damage)) 11:15:05 PM Janis: ((4 of which is frost, which I assume makes no difference)) 11:16:05 PM Canto: Okay. For future reference, roll your non-bludgeoning attacks seperately so I can figure out the DR stuff. 11:16:19 PM Janis: ((Sorry)) 11:16:48 PM Canto: Sokay. :) 11:16:51 PM Canto: *Val* 11:17:19 PM Valerian: Valerian shoots at it. 11:17:23 PM Valerian: ((17 ranged touch.)) 11:17:51 PM Canto: That hits! It's a large target, AC is only 14, just for future reference. 11:18:03 PM Valerian: ((14 damage.)) 11:18:48 PM Canto: Nice! Val's blast puts a nice hole straight through the center of the thing. 11:18:51 PM Canto: *Nilani* 11:20:40 PM Nilani: Nilani pulls out her hand crossbow and attempts to shoot the thing! 11:21:19 PM Canto: Okay. Fair warning -- like skeletons, this thing has a natural resistance to piercing weapons. It might not be worth using the hand crossbow. 11:22:09 PM Nilani: ((13)) 11:22:33 PM Canto: And that's a miss, anyway! Your bolt travels right through the hole that Val's blast left in it. 11:22:49 PM Canto: *Wynn* 11:23:19 PM Wynn: (How far am I from it?) 11:23:33 PM Canto: Probably about 20 feet. 11:24:11 PM Wynn: Wynn casts Lesser Energized Shield (Fire) and stalks right up to it. 11:24:38 PM Canto: Okay! 11:25:22 PM Canto: It swipes at Wynn with its blade, but misses! 11:25:38 PM Canto: Round 2: Janis, Val, Nilani, Wynn, Bonespur 11:25:44 PM Canto: *Janis* 11:26:15 PM Janis: Janis pulls the same trick again 11:26:52 PM Valerian: ((... wait, what did IT do?)) 11:27:02 PM Janis: ((Swung and missed Wynn)) 11:27:14 PM Janis: ((I get two hits)) 11:27:17 PM Valerian: ((Oh right.)) 11:28:02 PM Janis: ((6 points bludgeoning damage, 9 frost)) 11:28:31 PM Janis: ((Mask attempts to fly at it, but misses)) 11:28:37 PM Janis: ((End turn)) 11:30:52 PM Canto: Okay! Janis fires more arrows at the thing, and it 'dies', collapsing into a pile of boneshards. 11:30:56 PM Canto: *end combat* 11:31:05 PM Wynn: ....really? 11:31:10 PM Janis: Whoo! Who da best?!? 11:31:30 PM Janis: Sorry, just...really good to do this again. 11:31:30 PM Valerian: ... I don't think they'd've gone to that much trouble if that's all it was. 11:31:32 PM Wynn: Wynn extinguishes her fire shield. 11:32:07 PM Wynn: No, this clearly wasn't the thing creating all this trouble. I just expected it to put up more of a fight. 11:33:45 PM Canto: Everything is quiet again. 11:33:54 PM Wynn: Let's keep looking. 11:34:12 PM Wynn: Wynn continues down the hall and back to the three-way junction. 11:34:32 PM Canto: Okay. Which way do you go? There are two other passages. 11:34:39 PM Wynn: right again (center) 11:34:40 PM Valerian: Valerian sticks with Wynn. 11:35:44 PM Canto: All right. You move down the central hallway. It eventually opens up into a large chamber -- this seems to be some kind of laboratory. Go ahead and roll notice checks. 11:36:01 PM Wynn: (7.) 11:36:12 PM Janis: ((32)) 11:36:27 PM Nilani: ((13)) 11:36:36 PM Valerian: ((1)) 11:36:46 PM Valerian: Valerian is clearly ogling Wynn again. 11:38:58 PM Janis: Janis picks up a journal near a large stone. 11:39:07 PM Janis: Janis attempts to read it. 11:40:42 PM Valerian: ... maybe I should look at that. 11:40:56 PM Janis: Janis hands it to him 11:41:14 PM Wynn: You should probably stop interacting with things that have a strong possibility of being cursed. 11:41:29 PM Janis: That's why I didn't touch the rock. 11:41:35 PM Janis: By the way, don't touch the rock. 11:41:39 PM Wynn: Rock? 11:41:52 PM Janis: This giant stone that's next to where I found the journal. 11:42:00 PM Wynn: THAT rock. 11:42:10 PM Valerian: Valerian peers at the book, inspecting it carefully before opening it. 11:42:14 PM Janis: Also, that's Cask's journal. 11:42:38 PM Janis: It's about a staff he found. It seemed to be changing him. 11:42:58 PM Janis: ...it...uh...wasn't a pleasant transformation. 11:43:14 PM Janis: Again...don't touch the rock. 11:43:46 PM Janis: Especially don't open it...I don't think you'll find anything good. 11:45:52 PM Valerian: Ah. He retrieved the artifact, I see. 11:46:00 PM Janis: Yeah. 11:48:13 PM Canto: Roll notice! 11:48:25 PM Janis: ((14)) 11:48:43 PM Wynn: (3. Wynn's turn to ogle. Or be generally confused. Both probably) 11:48:52 PM Valerian: He wanted to be a lich. 11:48:53 PM Nilani: ((20)) 11:49:17 PM Valerian: And this was his second choice. Ugh. I've never understood this sort of thing. 11:49:27 PM Valerian: ((11.)) 11:49:32 PM Valerian: Valerian is completely preoccupied with the book. 11:51:53 PM | Edited 11:52:04 PM Nilani: Nilani says "Guys, there's someone over there." and points towards the doorway at the back of the lab area. 11:52:02 PM Janis: Janis looks 11:52:13 PM | Edited 11:52:32 PM Wynn: Wynn puts herself between the group and the place Nilani's pointing 11:52:24 PM Canto: There's a doorway. You can't see anything from where you are. 11:52:46 PM Wynn: Wynn draws her mace and approaches the door. 11:52:58 PM Canto: Roll notice, Wynn. 11:53:01 PM Valerian: Valerian sticks with Wynn, and puts the book away. 11:53:12 PM Wynn: ((11)) 11:53:53 PM Wynn: Wynn kicks in the door. 11:56:13 PM Canto: You find another large room, but this one has been divided up into some makeshift prison cells. You find about a dozen townspeople here, in the dark! 11:56:44 PM Wynn: Valerian? Nilani? 11:58:10 PM Canto: The people here are terrified, dirty, probably malnourished, but alive! 11:58:20 PM Valerian: ((Oh crap, sorry.)) 11:58:33 PM Valerian: Valerian asks them what happened! 11:58:59 PM Valerian: Valerian tentatively tries to eldritch blast a lock, but if that doesn't work, well. He's no locksmith. 11:59:05 PM Wynn: ((She meant the (probably) locked doors to the cells)) 12:00:12 AM Canto: It's easy enough. Basically, they all have the same story. 12:00:28 AM Janis: ...I can try flame blade. See if that can melt the locks. 12:00:40 AM Canto: They were taken by the skeletons on one of the raids into town. 12:00:49 AM Valerian: Valerian tries it first though. Doesn't want Janis to waste spells. 12:00:54 AM Valerian: Valerian can blast foreeeeeever. 12:01:09 AM Canto: Apparently Cask wanted 'jucier' subjects for more complicated necromancy. 12:01:33 AM Canto: Though he hasn't started on them yet -- he's been preoccuped with another intruder into the ruins lately. 12:01:45 AM Canto: And you can break the locks easily, not gonna make you roll. 12:02:11 AM Canto: You can get them all out. 12:03:19 AM Valerian: ... what intruder? 12:04:36 AM Canto: Only one of the prisoners saw this intruder, when he was brought in. He only caught a glimpse of a bald humanoid in blue armor before he was thrown in a cell. 12:04:58 AM Wynn: Did it have a white circle on the breastplate? 12:05:16 AM Canto: The prisoner didn't get a good enough look. 12:05:24 AM Valerian: ... let's hope not. 12:05:30 AM Valerian: Which cell, do you know? 12:06:01 AM Canto: He was taken off to Cask's personal quarters, basically. He's not in these cells. 12:07:05 AM Wynn: Come on. We'll take you out to the entrance where it's probably safer. You can head back to the village or wait with our mounts and we'll escort you back if you prefer. Do any of you need immediate healing? 12:07:59 AM Canto: They're a bit malnourished and dehydrated, but Cask avoided harming them. They'll go outside and wait. 12:09:27 AM Wynn: Wynn leads the whole dang group back to the entrance so they aren't attacked by anything, then turns back to the three-way to take the last path. 12:10:31 AM Valerian: I'll never understand necromancers. 12:11:34 AM Canto: Okay! You travel down the last hallway. There's a short set of stairs, then it opens up into a larger chamber. 12:14:10 AM Canto: This chamber is lit up by these floating crystals which are currently emitting purple-blue beams into a figure on a stone table. Behind the table, you see a tall skeletal figure. He's wearing robes and a golden breastplate. In one hand he's holding a staff made of bone, and topped with a skull. The strangest thing is that where a normal humanoid has one head, he has three skulls. 12:14:35 AM Wynn: Now this looks like the bad guy. 12:14:48 AM Janis: Yep. 12:15:12 AM Canto: The skeleman looks up at you guys. He's hard to read, because his face are three skulls, but he speaks in an annoyed, raspy voice. "Your timing couldn't be worse! I've almost got this thing figured out." 12:15:26 AM Wynn: Then I'd say our timing is perfect. 12:15:36 AM Valerian: What thing, may I ask? 12:15:56 AM Valerian: I don't suppose I could convince you to go home and rethink your unlife. 12:16:08 AM | Edited 12:16:41 AM Canto: He gestures, and it's then that you realize that the floor of this chamber is made of dust and boneshards as two more of those bone pillar things form between you and CAsk. 12:16:28 AM Canto: Cask: Shhhhhhhhhhh. Almost done! 12:16:41 AM Valerian: I read your notes. 12:16:53 AM Valerian: I think you're making some fairly critical groundlevel mistakes. 12:18:44 AM Canto: Roll diplomacy, Val. Meanwhile, btw, the Bonespurs are moving toward you. I'm picturing this like that scene in Two Towers where Gandalf is addressing the king while Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas are in a brawl. 12:19:06 AM Janis: Janis draws her bow 12:19:14 AM Janis: Wow, two this time. Very creative. 12:19:18 AM Wynn: Wynn intercepts one of them. 12:19:25 AM Canto: Roll initiative! 12:19:37 AM Janis: ((16)) 12:19:38 AM Valerian: ((29.)) 12:19:40 AM Wynn: (GDI 1) 12:20:00 AM Valerian: ((13 init.)) 12:22:22 AM Canto: Round 1: Cask, Janis, Val, Bonespurs, Wynn 12:24:47 AM Canto: Cask looks up at Val. "How so?" He asks with one skull while, with another, he spits a shard of bone at the bright and shiny paladin. Said boneshard lodges into Wynn's shoulder, doing 4 points of piercing damage and 2 points of cold damage. 12:24:55 AM Canto: *Janis* 12:25:28 AM Janis: Janis casts call lightning on the other one 12:25:57 AM Valerian: I understand you're doing this as sort of a second choice to lichdom. Do you plan to go on to lichdom or just stick with this? 12:26:16 AM Janis: ((I think it requires a reflex save to take half damage)) 12:26:23 AM Janis: ((9 lightning dam)) 12:27:53 AM Canto: Zap! A tiny storm cloud appears over one of the bonespurs and a bolt of lightning lances down, striking it! ISkandar, back at the village, approves this use of lightning. 12:28:05 AM Canto: *Val* 12:28:44 AM Valerian: Valerian shoots at the bone spur, still hoping to talk the guy down. 12:28:54 AM Canto: Which one? 12:29:03 AM Valerian: ((The wounded one?)) 12:29:07 AM Valerian: ((15 ranged touch.)) 12:29:12 AM Canto: Okay, that hits! 12:29:19 AM Valerian: ((10 damage.)) 12:30:32 AM Canto: You blast the thing, taking off a big chunk of it. The wounded bonespur explodes! Make a reflex save, all of you. 12:30:52 AM Wynn: (8.) 12:30:57 AM Janis: ((25)) 12:32:23 AM Canto: Reflex, Val? 12:32:24 AM Valerian: ((28.)) 12:32:56 AM Canto: Okay. Wynn takes 10 pts of damage from the boneshards, Val and JAnis take 5. 12:35:35 AM Canto: The other bonespur, about ten feet away from wynn, moves forward, and as it surges forward, it *changes*, taking on a shape not unlike that rhino you once met, with its bone scythe on its nose in place of a horn. It charges Wynn and hits her with its horn. 12:35:50 AM Canto: 14 pts of damage. 12:36:50 AM Canto: *Wynn* 12:37:30 AM Wynn: Wynn raises her suddenly glowing mace for swing 1! (swift action for DW) 12:37:41 AM Wynn: (19) 12:37:47 AM Canto: Hit! 12:38:03 AM | Edited 12:38:15 AM Wynn: 17 good/bludgeon dam 12:38:35 AM Canto: Niiiice. That is a solid hit! 12:38:40 AM Wynn: (uh. 10 bludg, 7 good?) 12:39:15 AM Wynn: Wynn swings with her shield on the back stroke. 10 miss? 12:39:24 AM Canto: Yeah, that's a miss. 12:39:43 AM Canto: Or at least, your shield doesn't do any damage. 12:40:10 AM Wynn: Wynn takes a final swing with the not glowing mace (sadface) and misses- 12 12:40:30 AM Canto: Okay! Well, you got one good hit, smashing the thing in its *neck*. 12:40:59 AM Canto: Round 2: Cask, Janis, Val, Bonespurs, Wynn 12:42:39 AM Canto: Cask continues to address Val. "No. This tranformation isn't compatible as far as I undersatnd. But to be honest, this was a much quicker and easier path to power! I'm not complaining. I wasn't even using my skin." One of his other skulls mouth opens, and Val should make a Will save! 12:42:56 AM Janis: Ew. 12:43:01 AM Valerian: ((20.)) 12:43:06 AM Janis: Multiple ews. 12:43:13 AM Valerian: In magic the best path is never the easiest one. 12:44:34 AM Canto: There's a weird moment, Val, where you feel this weird force inside your body, around your ribs. It felt for a moment like one of your ribs was wiggling around, trying to get free of your body. 12:45:03 AM Canto: *Janis* 12:45:17 AM Canto: The bonespur you were attacking is currently not existing. 12:45:20 AM Janis: Janis spends a first action to cast more lightning from the cloud. 12:45:39 AM Janis: ((8 DAM)) 12:45:56 AM Janis: Janis then spends her remaining action to cast magic fang on Mask. 12:45:58 AM Valerian: Valerian has exceptionally good control over his own body, thanks! 12:45:59 AM Canto: However, the shards that made it up and exploded are currently reforming. You can't target it right now. Are you attacking the other one? 12:46:11 AM Canto: The one that is in rhino shape that is attacking Wynn? 12:46:18 AM Janis: ((Yes, the rhino)) 12:47:21 AM Canto: Okay! Zap! Another bolt strikes down, hitting the other bonespur. It's still standing, but seems to be falling apart. 12:47:22 AM Canto: *Val* 12:47:29 AM Janis: ((I wasn't done)) 12:47:45 AM Janis: ((After I cast magic fang on Mask, he attacks the rhino)) 12:48:03 AM Janis: ((16)) 12:48:21 AM Canto: That's a hit. 12:48:31 AM Janis: ((3 more dam)) 12:48:35 AM Janis: ((Now I'm done)) 12:49:07 AM Nilani: ((14 initiative)) 12:49:32 AM Canto: Mask totally killsteals the bonespur from Wynn! 12:50:21 AM Canto: Mask: SCREEECH 12:50:48 AM Canto: *Val* 12:52:41 AM Valerian: Valerian finally fires at the damn necromancer. 12:53:03 AM Valerian: ((I don't suppose he has enough bits left to be critable.)) 12:53:16 AM Canto: Nope, sorry. 12:53:26 AM Valerian: ((Screw it, I'mma charge him anyway.)) 12:54:49 AM Valerian: Valerian charges! 12:54:55 AM Valerian: ((26.)) 12:55:02 AM Canto: That's a hit! 12:55:29 AM Valerian: ((7 rapier, 2 lightning, 12 eldritch blast.)) 12:57:03 AM Canto: You zap him pretty good! He reels from your blasty blow. 12:57:58 AM Canto: The bonespur that previously had exploded reforms! It swings at Janis. ((What's your AC, Janis?)) 12:58:07 AM Janis: ((16)) 12:59:01 AM Canto: It hits Janis, dealing 11 points of damage with its scythe. 12:59:05 AM Canto: *Nilani* 1:00:08 AM Canto: *Nilani* 1:00:20 AM Nilani: Nilani casts Magic Missile at the necromancer. 1:00:30 AM Canto: Okay! Roll damage. 1:02:16 AM Canto: Wow, that was a good MM roll! 1:03:41 AM Canto: Nilani blasts Cask, and he reels back. One of his three skulls seems to crack, and then it shatters! Leaving him with two skulls. 1:03:51 AM Canto: *Wynn* 1:04:08 AM Wynn: Focus your efforts on him! 1:04:12 AM Wynn: (Can I charge?) 1:04:20 AM Canto: At Cask? Yes. 1:04:27 AM Wynn: Wynn does so! 1:05:14 AM Wynn: (22!) 1:05:20 AM Canto: That's a hit! 1:05:42 AM Wynn: (lol 5 dam) 1:05:58 AM Canto: A hit is a hit! 1:06:21 AM Canto: Round 3: Cask, Janis, Val, Bonespur, Nilani, Wynn 1:07:23 AM Canto: Cask whines in pain. "That really hurt! How did you do that? I *needed* that skull. I'm definitely taking your bones now." 1:07:48 AM Canto: He swings his staff at Val! AC, Val? 1:10:20 AM Valerian: ((Oh shit sorry.)) 1:10:28 AM Valerian: ((16.)) 1:11:20 AM Canto: 4 pts of damage, Val. He then manages to catch Wynn on the backswing, dealing 6 points of damage. 1:11:32 AM Canto: Nilani, roll a will save. 1:12:43 AM Nilani: ((22)) 1:13:19 AM Canto: Nilani, it opens its mouth and you feel this weird sensation in your ribs, but nothing comes of it. 1:13:24 AM Canto: *Janis* 1:13:38 AM Canto: Still one bonespur remaining, and Cask. 1:14:12 AM Janis: Janis raises her bow like she's gonna shoot Cask...but doesn't. She puts the bow down and calls lightning on the bonespur. 1:14:23 AM | Edited 1:14:42 AM Janis: ((12 dam)) 1:14:48 AM Canto: Zzzzap! You turn the bone spur into bone dust. And then bone glass, maybe? 1:14:56 AM Canto: Dunno, but its dead! 1:15:00 AM Canto: *Val* 1:15:02 AM Janis: (( :) )) 1:15:28 AM Valerian: Valerian tries to stab the boneguy again! 1:15:35 AM Valerian: ((20.)) 1:15:59 AM Canto: That does not hit, the blow deflecting off his breastplate. 1:16:06 AM Canto: Oh, wait, Wynn's there, he's flanked. 1:16:10 AM Canto: That does hit. 1:16:16 AM Valerian: Oh, okay. 1:16:36 AM Valerian: ((3 rapier, 5 lightning, 11 Eldritch.)) 1:17:17 AM Canto: Okay! You land a mighty blow, blasting/stabbing. 1:17:21 AM Canto: *Nilani* 1:18:56 AM Canto: *Nilani* 1:20:14 AM Canto: *Nilani* 1:20:21 AM Nilani: Nilani attempts to run up and stab the necromancer with her rapier, flanking with someone if possible. 1:20:29 AM Canto: It is indeed. 1:21:02 AM Canto: He's in melee with both Wynn and Val. Though he's not crittable nor Sneak Attackable. 1:21:38 AM Nilani: ((eh, +2 is +2. Does 19 hit?)) 1:21:48 AM Canto: Yes, thanks to flanking. 1:22:36 AM Nilani: ((7 dmg)) 1:23:41 AM Canto: Nilani tags him with her rapier, doing another damage to cause another skull to shatter! 1:23:47 AM Canto: *WYnn* 1:24:07 AM Wynn: Wynn will smite with a glowy mace! (24) 1:24:12 AM Canto: Hit! 1:24:34 AM | Edited 1:25:07 AM Wynn: (18 dam on swing 1 16+2 good) 1:25:01 AM Canto: Niiiiice. He's still standing, though he's not looking very good. 1:25:14 AM Canto: I mean... he's worse than before. 1:25:33 AM Wynn: Wynn swings again, shield this time. 22 1:25:33 AM Valerian: You're an asshole, you know that? 1:25:43 AM Canto: That's a hit! 1:25:55 AM Wynn: (7 dam swing 2!) 1:25:58 AM Canto: Also Val does 1d6 Heart Damage. 1:26:26 AM Canto: Wynn bashes the guy in his last skull with her shield, smashing it! 1:26:50 AM Valerian: Trying to rearrange other people's internal bits and pieces without their permission, disturbing the dead, stealing things people have gone to a good deal of trouble to protect. 1:27:03 AM Canto: Cask drops his staff and tumbles into a pile of breastplate, robes, and bones. 1:27:06 AM Canto: *end combat* 1:27:13 AM Wynn: Probably shouldn't touch that. 1:27:26 AM Valerian: I suppose burning it won't work. 1:27:35 AM Wynn: Are you hurt? 1:27:40 AM Janis: Janis pokes it with her bow 1:27:57 AM Valerian: ((29 search for looting the body.)) 1:28:00 AM Wynn: Wynn is totally bleeding out of her armor in like 4 places, but isn't worried about it. lol 1:28:31 AM Valerian: Mostly irritated. How do you get to be a mage being that deeply stupid? 1:28:47 AM Canto: Also he did kill a bunch of people. The village's small militia died first thanks to his attacks, and once they were dead, he started capturing villagers alive. 1:28:49 AM Wynn: Janis, Nilani? Do you need healing? 1:29:09 AM Janis: I could. But maybe you should do you first. 1:29:10 AM Canto: On him, he has 6 spell scrolls. 1:29:24 AM Janis: You're leaving a blood trail everywhere. 1:29:32 AM Wynn: I'll be fine. 1:29:46 AM Wynn: Wynn puts a hand on Janis's shoulder (how much are you missing?) 1:29:56 AM Janis: ((16 points)) 1:30:02 AM Wynn: ((Fully healed then!)) 1:30:16 AM Janis: ((Cool, thanks)) 1:30:20 AM Canto: Inflict Serious Wounds Invisibility Meld into Stone Sculpt Sound Wall of Fire Warp Wood 1:30:23 AM Valerian: What a waste. 1:31:09 AM Janis: Janis looks around the room for another room or a prisoner. 1:31:10 AM Valerian: Valerian will bring anything nobody else wants with him to give out to others later, but doesn't need that stuff. 1:31:11 AM Canto: Searching around, you can find a total of 750 gold in assorted currencies. 1:31:32 AM Valerian: ... you are leaving a blood trail. 1:31:53 AM Wynn: Wynn sighs and uses the last of her LOH to close the external wounds to stop the bleeding. 1:32:00 AM Valerian: ... which you should heal, honestly. Don't want to lead anything back to the village. 1:32:01 AM Wynn: Better? 1:32:02 AM Wynn: Wynn grins. 1:32:09 AM Valerian: Yes. 1:32:11 AM Valerian: Valerian smiles. 1:33:15 AM Canto: The table he was staring at, with the glowing crystals, holds the body of one of the White Circles. The rays arcing from the crystals seem to be keeping the Circle together instead of having him dissolve like all the others you've met. There is a small journal on the table, as well, that hold his notes on the Circle that he's been examining. 1:33:34 AM Wynn: Now that looks like it could be interesting. 1:33:37 AM Valerian: ((Is it alive?)) 1:33:42 AM Canto: Nope, dead. 1:33:45 AM Janis: Janis goes straight for the journal. 1:34:15 AM Valerian: That... well, we're not leaving it that way. 1:34:16 AM Canto: It's filled with notes of a technical nature. 1:35:03 AM Janis: Janis looks at the crystals for a long time and then tries to knock one over, or break the rays in some way. 1:35:56 AM Valerian: Valerian takes the journal, if she lets him. 1:36:10 AM Valerian: At least the village will be safer now. 1:36:17 AM Canto: They are not hard to break, actually. They shatter pretty easily. 1:36:42 AM Canto: Once they're smashed, the Circle dissolves. 1:37:12 AM Janis: Janis hands Val the book and makes for the exit in a very determined fashion 1:37:44 AM Canto: Said journal is filled with his notes and theories about his dissection and examination of the Circle's body. 1:38:12 AM Valerian: ... I still wonder if they're people somehow. Or how much they are. 1:38:26 AM Valerian: Valerian puts it in the portable hole and takes it with him to study later. 1:38:31 AM Wynn: I'm sure we'll find out eventually. 1:38:36 AM Canto: I will go into detail about it later! Just remember that you have it. :) 1:38:45 AM Wynn: Let's go. We need to get those people back to their homes. 1:38:47 AM Canto: That's pretty much where we'll end. 1:39:03 AM Canto: You get the prisoners back unmolested. You are hailed as Big Damn Heroes.